The Mykolaivvodokanal’s supervisory board has refuted the CEO’s statement regarding who dismissed Telpis

The Supervisory Board of the municipal enterprise «Mykolaivvodokanal» has stated that it did not approve the decision to dismiss the company’s technical director, Vasyl Telpis, as previously reported by the new CEO, Hennadii Iziumov.

This was posted on Facebook by the chair of the Supervisory Board, Hanna Montavon, against the backdrop of a scandal that arose following a meeting between the staff and the new CEO, Hennadii Iziumov.

She noted that recently there have been many statements and assessments in the public domain regarding the work of the water utility and the Supervisory Board, some of which, she said, are emotional or distorted.

«We understand that the work of the first Supervisory Board at a municipal utility in the city may seem unfamiliar and confusing. That is normal. Our position is simple — we are open to the Mykolaiv community and to the company’s employees. We are ready to discuss issues and answer questions,» she wrote.

Hanna Montavon also reported that the Supervisory Board plans to launch a series of public briefings on the issues that are generating the most discussion among the community and the company’s employees.

«I am personally convinced that trust is built through dialogue based on facts, transparency and consistency of action. Having the right information is the only way to form your own informed opinion and protect yourself from manipulation,» she noted.

In particular, the Board has published a list of positions which it has the authority to appoint or dismiss. This list includes only:

• the Director-General;

• the Anti-Corruption Commissioner;

• Head of Internal Audit;

• the risk manager, compliance officer and company secretary.

The position of Technical Director, previously held by Vasyl Telpis, does not fall within the Supervisory Board’s remit.

As a reminder, the issue of the dismissal of Technical Director Vasyl Telpis was raised during a meeting between water utility staff and the new CEO, Hennadii Iziumov, on 15 April. An audio recording of this conversation is in the possession of the editorial team at NikVesti.

During the meeting, employees stated that Telpis’s dismissal came as a surprise to them, as he had worked at the water utility since the 1980s and had been acting as manager following the death of Borys Dudenko.

«Everyone came in wanting to do better. But it came as a shock to us when, after you arrived, Telpis was dismissed — a man who had effectively built this water utility over decades,» remarked one of the employees.

In response, Hennadii Iziumov insisted that he had not made the decision to dismiss him.

«I didn’t dismiss him. He was dismissed by the Supervisory Board. I am accountable to the Supervisory Board,» he said.

However, the employees accused the manager of lying, noting that he had personally forced Mr Telpis to write a letter of resignation under the threat of redundancy.

«You said: «You’re resigning.» And if not, the post would be made redundant. Those were your words. There’s no need to say anything else now. Why are you lying?» said one of the employees.

Earlier, NikVesti reported that Vasyl Telpis had submitted his resignation on 3 April and had worked at the company for over 40 years.

As is known, the Supervisory Board of the municipal enterprise «Mykolaivvodokanal» is a collegial body that exercises strategic control over the company’s activities, approves key management decisions and financial plans, and evaluates the work of the management. It does not interfere in operational activities, influences the appointment and evaluation of the director, but will not dismiss or hire staff at other levels.

Water utility gets new head: what is known about Izyumov

At the end of January 2026, a new general director of the municipal enterprise «Mykolaivvodokanal» was appointed in Mykolaiv. The post was taken up by Hennadii Iziumov — former head and chief engineer of water supply construction projects at the municipal enterprise «Mariupolvodokanal».

His appointment followed a competition in which 19 candidates took part. Prior to this, the company was headed by Borys Dudenko, who had managed the water utility since 2016 and died on 15 October 2025 following a long illness.

During the selection process, Hennadii Iziumov presented a plan for his first 100 days, which included assessing the company’s current state, stabilising operational processes, strengthening management discipline, establishing cooperation with the supervisory board and the city authorities, and preparing a medium-term development strategy.

Also in February, a list of performance indicators was approved for the Mykolaivvodokanal company, against which the company’s performance will be assessed in future.